Statins protect against fulminant pneumococcal infection and cytolysin toxicity in a mouse model of sickle cell disease.

ABSTRACT: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is characterized by intravascular hemolysis and inflammation coupled to a 400-fold greater incidence of invasive pneumococcal infection resulting in fulminant, lethal pneumococcal sepsis. Mechanistically, invasive infection is facilitated by a proinflammatory state that enhances receptor-mediated endocytosis of pneumococci into epithelial and endothelial cells. As statins reduce chronic inflammation, in addition to their serum cholesterol-lowering effects, we hypothesized that statin therapy might improve the outcome of pneumococcal infection in SCD. In this study, we tested this hypothesis in an experimental SCD mouse model and found that statin therapy prolonged survival following pneumococcal challenge. The protective effect resulted in part from decreased plat

SUBMITTER: Rosch JW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2810080 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature